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Ex-church secretary facing theft charge

A former secretary of a Monroe church has been charged in the theft of more than $73,000 from the church, the Walton County Sheriff's Office said Monday.

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Shelly Jo Burt, 42, of Monroe was charged with felony theft by taking, fraud and first-degree forgery in the theft from St. Albans Episcopal Church, a sheriff's office spokeswoman said.

When the church took on a new priest a few months ago, it hired new staffers, including an accountant who conducted an audit that found Burt was using a dormant church checking account for her own use, Rachel Rawlins said.

The spokeswoman said Burt, a church employee for 10 years, wasn't living extravagantly with the defrauded funds, but rather used them to climb out of debt.

"She poorly managed her own money," said Rawlins, who said Burt "was using the money for basic domestic and household expenses."